Kali,also known as Kali Ma,is the Hindugoddess associated with eternal energy. The name Kali means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means “the black one”. Since Shiva is called Kāla – the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means “the Time” or “Death” (as in time has come). Hence, Kali is considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. More complex Tantric beliefs sometimes extend her role so far as to be the “ultimate reality” or Brahman. She is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally “redeemer of the universe”). Comparatively recent devotional movements largely conceive Kali as a benevolent mother goddess.

Kali is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is the foremost among the Dasa Mahavidyas, ten Fierce Tantric Goddesses, depicting a female figure who carries away the spirits of slain warriors and animals.

Kali’s association with blackness stands in contrast to her consort, Shiva, whose body is covered by the white ashes of the cremation ground in which he meditates.

Kali is mentioned in Hinduism as a distinct goddess, related to war; actually she is known as Goddess ‘Ratri’ as the Supreme force in the universe. In the Tantras, she is regarded as the Power of The Great, Fundamental Power or Beyond Nature. Her portrayal on dead bodies in crematorium symbolizes her presence in the hearts of devotees who have killed their Earthly desires and want Supreme Consciousness in the lap of the Ultimate Mother, Kali.

Kali plays an important role in the study and practice of Tantra Yoga, and is affirmed to be as central to discerning the nature of reality as are the male deities. Kali is often said to be the recipient and student of Shiva‘s wisdom in the form of Tantras, it is Kali who seems to dominate much of the Tantric iconography, texts, and rituals. In many sources Kali is praised as the highest reality or greatest of all deities.

The figure of Kali conveys death, destruction, and the consuming aspects of reality, or even death itself, everyone needts to confront Kali, and thereby assimilates and transforms her into a vehicle of salvation.

Kali is more than a terrible, vicious, slayer of demons who serves Shiva. Here, she is identified as the supreme mistress of the universe, associated with the five elements. In union with Lord Shiva, who is said to be her spouse, she creates and destroys worlds. Her appearance also takes a different turn, befitting her role as ruler of the world and object of meditation. In contrast to her terrible aspects, she takes on hints of a more benign dimension. She is described as young and beautiful, has a gentle smile, and makes gestures with her two right hands to dispel any fear and offer boons. The more positive features exposed offer the distillation of divine wrath into a goddess of salvation. Here, Kali appears as a symbol of triumph over death.

The Tantric approach to Kali is to display courage by confronting her on cremation grounds in the dead of night. In contrast, the devotee appropriates Kali’s teachings, adopting the attitude of a child. In both cases, the goal of the devotee is to become reconciled with death and to learn acceptance of the way that things are.

Ramprasad comments in many of his other songs that Kali is indifferent to his wellbeing, causes him to suffer, brings his worldly desires to nothing and his worldly goods to ruin. He also states that she does not behave like a mother should and that she ignores his pleas:

Can mercy be found in the heart of her who was born of the stone? [a reference to Kali as the daughter of Himalaya]

Were she not merciless, would she kick the breast of her lord?

Men call you merciful, but there is no trace of mercy in you, Mother.

You have cut off the heads of the children of others, and these you wear as a garland around your neck.

It matters not how much I call you “Mother, Mother.” You hear me, but you will not listen.

In Kali’s most famous myth, Durga and her assistants, Matrikas, wound the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons, in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation, as for every drop of blood that is spilt from Raktabija, the demon reproduces a clone of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates. Durga, in dire need of help, summons Kali to combat the demons. It is also said that Goddess Durga takes the form of Goddess Kali at this time.

Out of the surface of her (Durga’s) forehead, fierce with frown, issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose. Bearing the strange khatvanga (skull-topped staff ), decorated with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger’s skin, very appalling owing to her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, having deep reddish eyes, filling the regions of the sky with her roars, falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the great asuras in that army, she devoured those hordes of the foes of the devas.

Kali destroys Raktabija by sucking the blood from his neck. Pleased with her victory, Kali then dances on the field of battle, stepping on the corpses of the slain. Her consort Shiva lies among the dead beneath her feet.

Another myth depicts Shiva calming Kali. In this similar story, Kali again defeated her enemies on the battlefield and began to dance. To calm her down and to protect the stability of the world, Shiva is sent to the battlefield, as an infant, crying aloud. Seeing the child’s distress, Kali ceases dancing to take care of the helpless infant. She picks him up, kisses his head, and proceeds to breast feed the infant Shiva as the sweetest mother.This myth depicts Kali in her benevolent, maternal aspect about her husband.

Mahakali, literally translated as Great Kali, is sometimes considered as a greater form of Kali, identified with the Ultimate reality of Brahman. It can also simply be used as an honorific of the Goddess Kali, as the agent who allows the cosmic order to be restored.

Compartir con tus amigos:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

This entry was posted on April 26, 2010 at 1:00 am and is filed under ¿ FEMINAZI YO ? . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.